Question 1
At this point, what would be the most appropriate response by the speaker to Wallace’s questions?
a) Ignore Wallace and continue speaking.
b) Thank him for his questions and ask him to hold off on them until the question period at the end of the lecture.
c) Answer his questions one by one, as other audience members were likely asking themselves the same questions.
d) Ask the audience whether they would prefer to have a formal question period at the end of the lecture, or to clarify points during the course of the talk.
The correct answer is b) Thank him for his questions and ask him to hold off on them until the question period at the end of the lecture. The best response here is to recognize that there is a reason for Wallace’s pointed questions, and to acknowledge them, without disrupting the lecture for the other audience members. By asking Wallace to save his questions for later, and telling him that she would be pleased to answer them at that time, the speaker helped alert Wallace to the fact that he was beginning to speak out of turn. It also helped reassure the audience that she, the speaker, was in control of the talk. In this way, everyone could relax, listen and learn.
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